


Stand By Me

by HQ_Wingster



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Affection, Alternate Universe - Human, Character Study, Dancing, Declarations Of Love, Established Relationship, F/M, Feelings Realization, Happy Ending, Heart-to-Heart, Love Confessions, Marriage Proposal, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Relationship Study, Rings, Romance, Romantic Fluff, Story within a Story, Touchy-Feely, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-01
Updated: 2018-12-01
Packaged: 2019-09-02 23:07:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16796503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HQ_Wingster/pseuds/HQ_Wingster
Summary: Here he was -- just a man with a noose of a tie, with a vest a little too small for his size, and he was simply a shadow next to Chloe’s light.Here she was -- just a woman with an evening gown that resembled a spiraling pillar of ash and smoke, with the end of her dress a little longer than she was, and she was simply a candle that procured a tall shadow by its side.For that moment, all Chloe and Elijah could do was simply stare at each other. There wasn’t a single word from history, philosophy, or religion that could describe how their hearts moved just by the mere sight of the other. If tonight Elijah had felt a stab of hunger in his heart, would he have found his nourishment when he looked to Chloe. He thought so when he heard a whisper of her name echoing in the chambers of his heart. Upon this night, did Chloe ache for him? There was a glint of hunger in her eyes, only satisfied when Elijah reached out and rested his palm against her cheek. With his other hand, Elijah trailed down the length of Chloe’s arm until her fingers laced around his own when they met.“Shall we dance?”





	Stand By Me

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Libika](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Libika/gifts).



> I’ve been busy with rewriting/rebooting a fic for 2019, juggling between exams, and refinding my confidence in writing again after I had some rather bleak periods for a while now. I wanted to give y’all an update on that because I’ve been a bit of a ghost on AO3 for a long time now, but I knew I couldn’t just post an update. So I wrote a fic to ease some concerns on whether I’m still writing or not and just to chat with y’all and let y’all know that I’m still alive.
> 
> I think this cute marriage proposal story for Chloe and Elijah can make up for the silence.

No one knew where the great leap forward would come from or from whom, but that didn’t stop Elijah Kamski as he descended from his perch. If he were anything but human, a pair of wings would’ve unfurled from his back, flourished against his side as the feathers dragged behind him like the ends of a robe. A halo of sorts would materialize above his head, perhaps like a crown of thorns if one could even compare him to the likes of the _Devil,_ and there would drip the blood of whom he had considered his former-enemies.

Some would even say he was a Lucifer among Men, a bearer of light while a network of shadows patched every inch of his skin. Some would recall the cold, calculative stare that could discern the inner cogs within the soul when the bearer knew not of what made them tick. Some would even dare to mention that the name _‘Elijah Kamski’_ was a pseudonym for Fear, in of itself. That Fear had taken on a human-form so it knew exactly of what to do if humanity were to slip from its alignment. Whether or not all of this was true, the general notion was that only one individual truly knew the man behind the name.

Said individual was like the young, green shoots that sprouted from the once decayed — the bearer of life, of something brand new, and would grow to the direction of where the light shone at it the most. Said woman, said co-founder of a company she and Elijah had built from their own two hands, perhaps she was the only one that could distinguish between the truths and lies that bore their shadows across Elijah’s face. Dutifully noted, it was her name that illuminated a hidden benevolence tucked deep within Elijah’s heart.

It could stop one’s breath of how cruel Elijah could be when he hid his heart upon high regards. Amongst God’s creations, he was a demanding creature — whom’s mouth spoke of selfishness and of unreasonability. But when he saw his beloved’s name on his phone, when he saw the latent happiness behind every letter that spelled her out, it was clear that the _Devil_ could be a servant. If his beloved were near him now, Elijah would crawl at her feet. For before her love, he was debased. For her alone, he could be weak. He could be human, he could have flaws, and he could finally feel how the fear of the unknown undid him. In his lifetime — there was no greater love than the love he held for Chloe.

Not a corner within his home was unswept by his presence as Elijah crept down the halls. Merely shuffling his feet as he adjusted the noose of his tie in one hand, thumb hovered over Chloe’s phone number in the other. The pitter patter of his steps splashed beneath as his feet before he paused, glancing from the corner of his eye to a small bonsai tree Chloe had gifted him years ago.

In her words, it was good luck. As CyberLife grew, the tree grew. As CyberLife flourished, beautiful blossoms and red berries would nestle between the leaves. There were a few berries that Elijah could pluck, admire as they rolled around in his palm, but he merely grazed his fingertips over the fruit. If he were to pick his berries too early, what effect would ripple over his company? Perhaps, it’d be small. Perhaps, the effect would change what Elijah couldn’t predict by any means of technology. Like life, like love, like Chloe...ones and zeroes weren’t part of the code, but genuine honesty and an open heart were. If he wanted to share how he truly felt, Elijah had to approach the scenario with nothing but his entire self.

Bouts of poetry and diamonds of varying degrees were not the way to do so. Elijah could deduce that in a heartbeat; but still, he thought about it as he wracked his brain for what he could say, for what he could do if he called Chloe right now. His thoughts teetered back and forth on the prospect as he paced. Soon, the narrow hall opened into an expansive passage where a lone, grand piano was perched by the window. Its back opened for clarity in its voice, and glints of moonlight shone over the metallic strings coiled inside as Elijah approached the standing fixture.

His fingers skimmed a few keys and like bits of fragile snow, the succession of notes led Elijah to the piano’s deepest register. Where there, a tremor quaked beneath his fingers. Other than that, he never tore his gaze from his phone. Seemingly fixated on the ten-digit string underneath Chloe’s name, Elijah knew he wasn’t shaking when he prepared himself for the call. The same couldn’t be said for his phone.

It shook, it rattled, almost alive and ready to run. If it could sprout legs and wrestle out from his grasp, Elijah wouldn’t know where to find his phone. It could be on the cliff’s edge of one of the highest mountains in the world, within the deepest trenches in the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, or perhaps it would hide within the pocket of Chloe’s purse so that Elijah would meet and speak with her _— face to face._ Wouldn’t that be a sight for sore eyes? — an unstoppable force against an immovable object. Nonetheless, phones with retractable legs built for a run weren’t even close to the top of Elijah’s priorities. At some point, he and Chloe might create one for an April Fool’s jest, but that was too far into the future when all of Elijah’s energy was focused on the now.

His phone was shaking. Perhaps nerves got the best of it, perhaps every wire and thread underneath its shell worried for Elijah when his thumb lowered to touch Chloe’s number. Alas, he pulled away at the last second. Alas, he realized why his phone was shaking so much. His mind had grown so used to tremors that Elijah couldn’t recognize it from himself.

His hand shook, rattled, ready to flee it could. Every quiver riddled up his arm, through every sense he could perceive. If he were to take a step he’d come crashing down onto the floor with the piano following him because he’d be clinging to dear life. The possibility of that future was realized when Elijah stole a glimpse of his reflection through one of his windows. He was a prisoner to where he stood, and there was only one way he could free himself.

Whether or not his mind and body were decided, he had to speak with Chloe. He didn’t know when was the perfect second to do so, so his heart chose for him. Phone by his ear, Elijah deliberated while it rang. Fumbling with his noose of a tie, it felt like every doubt and worry that had plagued his mind faded into the background when Elijah heard a click from the other end of the line.

“...Chloe.” Her name, alone, brought him peace as Elijah gathered his words. Every ache mounted onto his shoulders seemed to tumble from the edge and unfurled across the floor behind him. “Could you come to my house,” a pause fluttered over the tip of Elijah’s tongue, _“right now?”_

Silence — never had it scared Elijah until he was on the receiving end. Suddenly aware of how thick the silence had become, or perhaps it was all in his head, Elijah rambled a bit more.

“There is something,” every word came with a staccato, a short break as if a stutter, “I need to tell you today.”

* * *

_“I’ll be there.”_ When the night had come and the moon was the only light she could see, Chloe leaned forward against her _Kawasaki Ninja_. _“Don’t you worry about me.”_ When the call ended, displayed across the face shield over her helmet, Chloe pursed her lips until the notification vanished from her sight. Hands steady at the throttle, she squinted through the haze of brake lights that swerved through the streets of Detroit.

By no stretch of the imagination, this was the purest form of entropy she had ever seen at eight or nine o’clock at night in the downtown quarters of the city. It was maddingly beautiful that such chaos could organize itself without fail but at the moment, there were far greater things that Chloe wanted to do with her time than merely observe. Stealing a glimpse of the man she loved was worth cutting a few corners to get there, Chloe had decided, as she danced through the busy lanes.

When she glanced from the corner of her eye, Chloe could discern the middle fingers and the grudges painted from the drivers behind her. All they caught were glints of yellow and red reflecting from her face shield before Chloe showed them the back of her head, almost as if a smirk had been discernable before her speed blurred everything in between. The rumble of her motorbike was almost like that of horses, galloping down country roads with a carriage buckling behind them. And within that pumpkin-shaped carriage, Cinderella wore more than enough leather over her evening dress before she took command over the reins.

To some degree, the fantastical thought etched a perfect image of Chloe within that moment. The flow of her evening gown flourished to her right and left, as if she were a presenting peacock on the charge. The hem flapped in the wind, but there was no fear that anything would be caught in her rear wheel. Her flats and how she folded and pressed the end of her dress around her legs kept the fabric from making this romantic getaway into a visit to the emergency room. In the midst of the lane weaving, Chloe pulled one of her hands away from her steering handles and zipped the front of her motor jacket. All the way until the collar was restrained, until it no longer tapped or scratched around the base of her neck.

Leaving downtown Detroit was the hardest part. After that, everything was a lot smoother. Without people to weave past, without traffic lights that needed her to heed their lights, Chloe sped at an almost leisurely pace when she entered the backwoods that surrounded Detroit. Through the thickets and occasional branches that scratched the backs of her leather gloves, Chloe found herself nearing a villa upon the edge of a hill. Still too far to say she was close, but Chloe glanced at it from the corner of her eye as navigated the meandering roads. Up and up and up — until finally, Chloe and her motorbike slowed to a crawl near the curve of Elijah’s front yard.

Mounting off her bike, Chloe slipped out from her helmet and sighed. What she had done was reckless — completely and utterly reckless. She could’ve died while coming here, and adrenaline was still pumping through her blood as Chloe pulled her gloves off between her teeth. She couldn’t stop the tremors that ceased her hands. It took ten seconds longer to unzip out of her leather jacket because she couldn’t steady her hands. What reckless abandoned she had displayed on the streets of Detroit, a cruel slap from reality and rational thought reddened her consciousness. Unable to walk just yet, Chloe evened her breathing when she leaned against her bike.

Her heartbeats clattered like drums against her ears. She didn’t realize how dry her mouth had become until she tried to swallow her rationality. Between every breath hitched at the back of her throat, gradually her mind and her morals made peace with one another. As strangled as it was, she was willing to accept that for just this once. Tonight was a special occasion as Chloe eased onto her feet and began to make her way to the front door. Her helmet wrapped in one arm, her motor jacket draped over the other when she felt herself grounded to reality.

A scatter of clouds were patched in the sky, crawling through the moonlight in the same drawl in how Chloe carried herself up the hill. The wind had picked up, and it eased the fire building beneath her skin. A few threads of her hair were gently pulled in front of her gaze, but Chloe folded them behind her ear. On its own, the gesture turned the cogs in her mind as Chloe wondered what so important that Elijah needed her to come in person. The scientist in her tried to think of this objectively; however, the romantic was lost in her own train of thought. It would’ve taken precedence in her mind if Chloe hadn’t reminded herself of what means she had to do to get here.

_‘Chloe Miller — you are a rational, young woman with a strong head on your shoulders’_ — mumbling the thought under her breath eased her considerably. _‘Every emotion and thought has its place, moment, and time.’_

When she reached the front door, there was a sticky note across the top of the doorknob before she reached out. In Elijah’s handwriting, the note asked if she could enter through the backdoor instead. As odd as the request was, even odder that Chloe didn’t question it. Or perhaps, the note wasn’t so strange because she half-expected it. At least, that was the romantic whispered in her ear when she came down the front steps.

Near the side of Elijah’s villa, there was a small cobbled road that eventually meandered to the backdoor. As Chloe walked farther down the path, a dozen or so lights bloomed along the edge of the trail. Faint at first, like fledgling buds creeping from beneath the soil after a winter’s frost. Flecks of silver and gold illuminated every step along Chloe’s gait, as if they paled compared to the marvelous treasure she was.

Even farther still, the cobbled path was soon accompanied by an assortment of lilies and every bouquet that Chloe could paint under the sun. A myriad of whites, yellows, and blues leaned into an elegant bow before Chloe passed and for some that were tall enough for her to touch, she ran her fingers through the petals that arched from every bud. Like threads of silk, they passed between her fingertips and etched thousands of kisses against her skin. When Chloe thought she had felt it all, her fingers grazed over a packet of plastic nestled between the blossoms. If Elijah couldn’t satisfy his itch for aesthetics or to appease the romantic within him, traditionally, there was an old standby he knew to be true when he scattered Chloe’s favorite candies between each and every bloom. A _caramel square_ hitched between her fingers, another nearly gazed the tip of her pinkie, and yet more had begun to perk from their hiding places. Not everything was as it seemed when Chloe scanned the rest of cobbled path and found every hidden _‘gem’_ Elijah had placed for her to find. While his gestures were simplistic and even _‘too normal’_ by Elijah’s standards, Chloe viewed all of this like a bow laced around a gift.

In some sense, sort of like appetizers to the main course Elijah had yet to reveal for her pleasure. To some degree, like frosting indulged over a cake before a fork pierced into the pastry. But aligned with the analogy of a bow tied around a gift, these were just small elements of how Elijah expressed his love. There was more to come, but he wanted to provide a _‘tasting menu’,_ so to speak, so that Chloe had a little something to chew before Elijah could excite the rest of her palette.

It was so _— what was the word? perhaps there wasn’t one_ — Elijah-ish for him to do all of this. The lights, the flowers, the candies — though so simple, Elijah arranged them in a way that turned the cogs of critical thinking within Chloe’s mind as she connected all of the meaning, all of the unspoken words, and all of the romantic diligence that had come together for this fated fairytale. Only Elijah would weave this much symbolism within a few moments, but it was one of the many things that drew Chloe closer to him.

_‘With all of my knowledge, I could never entirely predict you’_ — the slit down the flow of Chloe’s dress became more prominent as her strides grew with every step. She heard a whisper of her beating heart, how it raced and thumped against her ears as she neared the back of Elijah’s villa. _‘What’s beyond of me follows its own nature, so I’m curious to where you’ll lead me.’_

When she felt the handle of the back door against her grasp, not an ounce of hesitation stopped her as Chloe stepped past the threshold. There was a bell hanging at the top of the door on the other side, about to ring if Chloe hadn’t reached up and held it against her palm. Cradling the bell, Chloe carefully closed the door behind her before resting the accessory to where it would’ve been. Not a note nor the beginning of one rippled from the bell when Chloe pulled her hand away from it.

Perhaps a hint of a grin shone on Chloe’s face before she pressed a finger against her lips, almost as if she was thanking the bell for its silence. Just as she turned, Chloe rested her leather jacket and her motorcycle helmet on the crook of Elijah’s kitchen counter before she slipped out from her flats. In the darkness, it wouldn’t really matter if Elijah saw her with these things or not. At least for Chloe, bringing one’s self with nothing holding them back was her way of expressing love. Whether it was material or immaterial, the littlest things could serve as a wedge and Chloe wanted to present herself with open arms. It was one of many things the romantic in her wanted to do, and it was probably one of the first things Chloe, herself, wanted to do as she crept through the quiet kitchen.

A few candles flickered within the night, guiding her through the winding corridors that made up Elijah’s mind. It was like treading through a labyrinth, relying only on a few senses when the eyes were blind behind night’s curtains. Squares and triangles shifted around over Chloe’s face when she darted her attention, back and forth, along this meandering maze. Two corridors opened up on her path, and both were lit by candles. She had been given a choice, but only one would lead her to the cunning man she loved. Or to some regard, to a man crazy enough to have set this all up.

_‘No matter where you are, you believe I’ll always find you’_ — during the past ten years since she and Elijah had been dating, Chloe could close her eyes and navigate through the entire villa through memory, alone. These candles were nothing more than a means to trick her if she relied on them too much, so Chloe closed her eyes. She could pinpoint where she was in the villa and visualize every diverting hall or path that Elijah had set candles down at. Not because he was a bit of a sadist or actively trying to mess with her, but he did it to see of how well Chloe knew him.

If she were Elijah, where would she be and how would she get there? As simple as the question was, the answers were near infinite as Chloe listed them in her mind. There were a few she could cross out, not fitting with this... _interesting_ theme Elijah settled on. There were a few places she knew he wasn’t at because the candles had guided her way from those variations — _unless the candles were a hoax and Elijah was hiding somewhere back there._ If there were two things Elijah was good at, it was honesty and not arranging anything if he didn’t have to. He wasn’t going to waste his time placing candles if they weren’t going to lead to him, in some way or fashion.

Opening her eyes, Chloe inspected her two choices: the left or the right. The right would veer towards the front of the villa and eventually, there would be a series of windows that looked out to the forest. The left would lead Chloe to somewhere in the middle between the back and the front of the home, but there would be an open space that overlooked to Detroit’s city skyline. There was a piano in that space and the floor tiling was different there compared to the rest of the villa. Slick tiles, easy to walk but even easier to slip if one wasn’t careful.

If she were Elijah, Chloe would choose the left. Not only for the view, but for the symbolism. Engagements and weddings were often engraved on the left of one’s hand. From where she stood, Chloe lifted her hand. Lo and behold, her left ring finger was angled just enough where it pointed down the middle of the left path.

_‘What a cunning boy, you are’_ — after kissing the back of her left hand, Chloe walked down her chosen path. Accompanied by the orange glow of the candles, the romantic in her could easily imagine that she was like a bride walking down the aisle. When the corridor finally opened into the great expanse that held its stare upon Detroit’s city skyline, Chloe saw Elijah sitting by the piano.

Though his back was facing her, though he was distracted with tracing the constellations in the sky with his eyes, he turned his head ever-so slightly when he heard Chloe. By her breaths, by the shuffle of her feet, and by even the thoughts that whirled and collided within the realm of her mind. He heard it all and a piece of him needed to be reminded that this wasn’t a fairytale. That he wasn’t the lone prince locked away in a tower, and that Chloe wasn’t the dark knight sent to set him free. Prompted by nothing more than a cryptic phone call, Chloe came here out of her own accord.

Sentimentality gripped the cornerstones of Elijah’s heart, and he told himself that he couldn’t cry. Not yet, at least, as he wiped the corners of his eyes. Just as he turned around on the piano bench, one of his hands skimmed over the side of the instrument. Underneath his touch, a blue LED appeared and the warmth of its light bled to the rest of the piano. Where a few hammers inside the piano’s chamber rose from their spots, poised for they were about to strike the metallic strings. Not yet for Elijah needed to reunite with Chloe.

Here he was — just a man with a noose of a tie, with a vest a little too small for his size, and he was a shadow next to Chloe’s light.

Here she was — just a woman with an evening gown that resembled a spiralling pillar of ash and smoke, with the end of her dress a little longer than she was, and she was a candle that had a tall shadow by its side.

For that moment, all Chloe and Elijah could do was stare at each other. There wasn’t a single word from history, philosophy, or religion that could describe how their hearts moved just by the mere sight of the other. If tonight Elijah had felt a stab of hunger in his heart, would he have found his nourishment when he looked to Chloe. He thought so when he heard a whisper of her name echoing in the chambers of his heart. Upon this night, did Chloe ache for him? There was a glint of hunger in her eyes, only satisfied when Elijah reached out and rested his palm against her cheek. With his other hand, Elijah trailed down the length of Chloe’s arm until her fingers laced around his own when they met.

_“Shall we dance?”_ Elijah’s voice was low as he noticed that Chloe’s eyes widened just a tad bit. For a moment, there was a tremor in Chloe’s world for she had just heard words she never thought Elijah would ever say. Chloe looked up to him, half-expecting for Elijah to break out of character, but he didn’t. He meant every word, and he squeezed Chloe’s hand so gently in his own.

_“I would love nothing more,”_ as Chloe stood on her tiptoes and whispered into Elijah’s ear.

Upon a snap that followed from Elijah’s fingertips, the poised hammers within his piano fell and the lull of an old, familiar song resonated into the air. A piano rendition of _‘Stand By Me’,_ that was covered by Florence & The Machine, fluttered into the couple’s ears as Elijah slowly danced with Chloe in his own way.

No dramatics, no silver or gold streaming down from the ceiling, no disco ball in sight — no extravagance in any way, shape, or form. Just pure simplicity for Elijah was nothing more than a mere fledgling when it came to leading Chloe. Despite his two left feet, he managed a little twirl and watched as the end of Chloe’s dress fluttered like petals in the wind. Between their shuffling feet, behind every moment where Elijah slowly grew brave and branched out from the monotony of his routine, he felt a shift in the dance as Chloe gradually tugged him in for she was the lead. Though the flair was simple for Elijah to follow, he mirrored Chloe’s moves and added his own twists. Bit of humour, a bit of reckless abandon when he carried his heart at the end of his sleeves, and a shot of adventure when he and Chloe both took the lead.

Where Chloe’s lowered her stance and her movements were fast, elegant like she was the femme fatale for a tango. Poised at the tip of her feet, Chloe serenaded Elijah with mere winks and with a rhythmic flow that rippled down from her shoulders and along her arms. One hand at her waist, she swished the end of her dress. The slit in the middle parted, and she hitched the fabric around her left leg as she waited for Elijah’s reply. Upon the draw of her fingers, Chloe stroked the naked air — coaxing Elijah if he dared to come close.

On the other end of the exchange, Elijah held his gaze against Chloe’s as he slowly freed himself from his vest. It slipped off from one arm, and Elijah tossed it to the side with a flourish. It skidded along the floor and ducked underneath the piano as Elijah came close, circling around Chloe with almost a crawl to his steps. So close, that he could hear Chloe’s breaths as she circled around him. Their gazes never tore from each other, and there was a twitch along Elijah’s lips when Chloe reached out and loosened his tie. Far enough where the knot rested over the front of Elijah’s heart, and Chloe grasped at the front of his dress shirt.

Before Elijah could steal a kiss, he had to prove that he was prepared for a lifetime of dances. Seemingly, he and Chloe glided past each other’s steps and arms before a partial-split lowered them to about a foot and a half off from the floor. Though Elijah bended his knee for help, he never betrayed the face of his dancing, alter-ego when he followed Chloe’s pace. Even a leader could learn that not every moment was a moment to lead as the chorus of his and Chloe’s song escalated to its fullest potential across the piano’s keys. As they slowly rose from the partial-split, Elijah’s hand rested near Chloe’s waist before slowly sliding up. Situated under the curve of Chloe’s shoulder blades, Elijah found his sweet spot as he imparted his trust onto her.

In turn, as they spun and Elijah was the lead for a few precious seconds, Chloe wrapped one of her legs around Elijah’s and he carried her within that span. Wisps of her hair curtained over her eyes until the spin was done, and Elijah brushed them to the side. He didn’t have to touch Chloe when he did so, but his fingertips trailed briefly over the bridge of her nose and a little bit over her forehead as Chloe’s loose bangs were folded behind her ear. Through the intensity in Elijah’s eyes, Chloe found seconds where tenderness seeped through. His hold on her was becoming more like a cradle so finally, Chloe cradled him too.

Just as the climax of their song was now dwindling down to the end, Chloe and Elijah gradually settled back to the slow dance they had done before. Where a better description of it was that Elijah was merely swaying back and forth on his feet while he led Chloe around a lazy circle. The piano faded into the background of Elijah’s mind when he rested his chin on Chloe’s shoulder. Tipping his head, ever-so slightly, so he could whisper for only her to hear.

“I’ve never been able to surprise you, like how you’ve surprised me.” For Chloe, too, the piano faded into the background of her thoughts when she glanced and met Elijah. There was a small smile on his lips, enough to reflect the sun at its brightest. “Did I at least steal your breath away?”

“I’d say you’ve done more than just that.” There was an airiness to her voice as she caught her breath. “The phone call, the note on your front door, the lights, the flowers, the candies, this dance...You told me that you had something to show me, but I can’t discern which one was it.”

“I couldn’t limit it to just one.” Removing himself from Chloe’s intimate space, Elijah opted to kiss her hand instead. Every finger had its own kiss, and every kiss was a slow one when Elijah met Chloe’s eyes. “I wanted to recreate the first time we ever met. When I saw you, you propositioned me if I’d like a dance.” Eventually, the kisses deepened as Elijah migrated from Chloe’s fingers to the flush of her palm, and his lips lingered there. “You seemed so sure that I’d say _‘yes.’”_

“I was.” The clouds behind her and Elijah covered the moon, but they didn’t need sight to find each other. If she were blind for all of her life, Chloe would still recognize Elijah by the sound of his breaths and by how his touch somehow crumbled every time he held her hand. “You were so charming and mysterious. I heard rumours, I heard the stories about you and what you wanted to grasp out of Life. I wanted to know everything that there was about you.”

“Did you now?” Even after all these years, Chloe knew how to make Elijah come undone. He was not a man, but a fragile heart before Chloe’s love. There was only so much that a soul could take before it sprouted flowers to give to its love. “What did you learn?”

“There’s a place you just can’t reach unless you have a dream too large to bear alone. At the time, I was sure. So sure, in fact, that I still am.” Slowly but surely, Chloe bridged the distance between her and Elijah. “And now, here we are — co-founders to a company that we built with our own hands. You showed me a future I’ve never dreamed of before. That is one of the many surprises you’ve given to me, Elijah.”

“May I propose one more?” Though parting from Chloe’s hands fractured the ends of Elijah’s heart, he had a remedy that would glue his fractured pieces together. Within his hand was a small box, within the box was something far greater than he would ever know when Elijah knelt onto one knee. “You know that I rarely ask for someone’s permission and yet, I want to ask for yours in the most polite, romantic way I know how.” Upon his last word, the box opened. Slowly at its hinge, the glint of the engagement ring was clear when the moonlight spilled between the clouds. “Will you, Chloe Miller, stand by me until the end of time?”

When Chloe crouched down to meet Elijah, she didn’t see him as he was. For behind her eyes, Chose saw the young Elijah that had caught her eyes over ten years ago when they first met. Where Elijah was a shy, young man — not looking at anybody until Chloe approached him and asked if he’d like a dance.

Breath hitched at the back of her throat, Chloe clasped her hands around Elijah’s.

_“Ever at your side.”_

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, kudosing, and even commenting if you choose to~! While I’m not very active on AO3 because it takes time to write, I’m more active on Tumblr where you can find me @joeys-piano. On the blog, you’ll find fan music, occasional ficlets, small life updates and updates on what I’m working on, and some more. For instance, this oneshot was originally going to be a ficlet for Tumblr, but it grew too big so I decided to post it on AO3 as well as a oneshot~  **:D**
> 
> ***English is not my first language, so I’m aware that some phrases or passages in this story might read funny to a native English-speaker. If there’s ever anything you want me to clarify, I can do so to the best of my abilities***


End file.
